The decision to progress the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, represents a potential shift in how we care for a person at the end of their life. As conversations around this topic continue, it’s important to consider the wider implications, including those for hospices like ours.

At Havens Hospices, our Mission remains at the heart of everything we do: ‘To offer the best possible palliative and supportive care, free from fear and barriers, where the patient and those important to them are always put first.’ This guiding principle, along with our Vision and Values, ensures that our focus remains on providing specialist care to people of all ages living with incurable conditions and supporting their families so they can make the most of life and make every day count.

While it is too early for us to engage with the specifics of a potential change in the law, this debate must act as a catalyst for urgent action to improve end of life care across the UK.

We hope it prompts further conversation about fairer and more sustainable funding for hospices, as well as better access to high-quality palliative care. Above all, we must ensure that everyone has a genuine choice and receives the compassionate, personalised support they need much earlier in their diagnosis, so that no one faces the end of life without the care and dignity they deserve.

We will always respect each person’s right to make their own decisions and pass no judgement on those choices. Whatever someone’s view on assisted dying, we remain committed to offering our care and support to anyone who needs us.

We continue to work with Hospice UK (the umbrella body which represents UK hospice services) as they gather insights and opinions and ensure they are heard in the ongoing debates. As the debate and potential legal changes progress, we will continue to look at how these developments impact our care and mission.

We believe that everyone deserves the best possible care when the end of life is in sight, and our core purpose stays true to the reason hospices like Havens Hospices were founded – to ensure specialist care is available to support those who need it during the most challenging of times.

Published on 8th October 2025